The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-25
A MEMORABLE OCCASION.
HOW THANKSGIVING DAY WAS OBJ
SERVED IN THE BLUFF CITY.
Thousands of Hearts Made Glad by the
Substantial Way In Which They
Were Generously Remembered -
Feasts and Church Services,

THANKSGIVING Day, Tor 1887, Is thing oil
the past. Only recolcctions of lis holiday
and turkey features remain. II was dark,
damp and dismal in the extreme, yet this
fact only stimulated people TO more sim
ccrc feeling Of thanklulncss. The rain,
which fell in dense mist the entire day,
save at intervals when II took on II heavier
shape, brought more real satisfaction and
pleasure than any ordinary event which
might or could have occurred. BY it, inn
portant actorsof alarm, loss and suffering
those terrible forest fires and oppressive
dus, were suppressed, and retired to his
tory, where they will hcncclorth remain n
prominent feature.
In Memphis the day was more generally
observed than any preceding year. The
pos,olhcc, courts, Merchants and Cotton
exchanges and more prominent wholesale
houses opened for brief period IN the
morning, but 10y O'Clock thcrc was gen
ernl suspension OF business. The only lines
which progressed with uninterrupted reg
ularity we've the moving OF cotton and the
retail trade But for these the day would
have rcscmblcd, in all principal character
istics, the usual sabbath Of rest Even the
police and fire departments found time to
enjoy their customary Thanksgiving tur-
KEY around the family board. Those mem
berS who were unable or unwilling 10 pro.
vide themselves with the genuine article
made up for the deficiency by en- joyiug
that furnished by the ArrEAL with ycstcr-
DAYS copy of the paper. Notwithstanding
this libcnlity on The part Of the manage
mcnt, one police official was found who was
80 filed with the article OF irony
~ Ia pronounce the ArrrN's special gift q
rooster, and an old and tough one Mt that.
This was the only criticism offered, aud IL
Is mentioned 10 show how really hard TO
please some people are
Among church people the day was given
over "a an Observance If its real intent and
purpose, returning thanks 10 n bcnciiccnt
providence for his manifold gifts and gra-
cious protection, 90 themselves ~ indiyid.
uals and as q nation. Services were held
In several Of the churches some in the
morning, Others ut night In the Stmn-
gcrs' chuph these occurred in the fore
noon, and were accompanied 10y an
abundance Of substantial thank-oilcrinWs
These came from generous merchants, and
other chariiably disposed men and women,
IN Response 10 am earnest appeal and the
energetic efforts oi the ladies Of the church.
Nearly every article ~ contributed WAS Of
q character calculated 10 bring the
greatest relief and joy 90 the needy,
among whom they we've distributed.
After The appropriate and effective dis.
course by The pastor the Rev " w.
Long q collection was taken up from the
rather slender attendance, the SUN of $50
bcingrcalizcd. This, with the large amount
OF fruit, groceries. clothes, etc, WIS dis.
trhuted among the orphan asylums and
deserving families The entire front Of
;he church building rrGcmhlcd q well
stocked siop-housc, aud the combined
efforts oi the ladies were required until 4
o'clock In the afternoon Ia reduce the
supply Ia nothing. In the evening scry.
ices were held IN the Second Presbyterian
and Firt Methodist churches both oI
which resulted la relieving numbers al
needy institutions and hmihcs. In the
latter chuUh the Rev Dr. Mnhon
preached his farewell sermon io large
congregation and will leave la day oi
two Tor Brownsville, 10 which place n,
was assigned hy the lasi conference.
In the various hotels and boarding
hVu-''- about the viiN i,H-i- wvv spuut
10y the propncinn, whose guests wen
thus made 10 feel, to an extent, the com
forts and delights Of home. This was par
ticularly true 81 the leading hotels, Nhcrt
taste and expense Wvrc laNishly expended
With private families, Il was AN occasion
long 10 be- remembered ly every member
Men Ut business. whose time h ~ ocpu
pied by imperative demands that thpil
wives only cniuy their s0ricty spmi.occa
sionally, louud in it m opportunity to iur
takc every cstmngng duiy and refresh ca
dcarng ties Absent ones made Il con
Ncnicut IA rtuu and once more Join thu
family cirlC around the board and in ate
conversation
Altogether, the day WIS what its nam
Implies and thousands II hearts in thi
city vii hlcs- tho providence aud custot
which pUught its appointment